Amgil ghara gauri pooja

Tulsi mukari Pholla rangoli 

We are celebrating Gauri pooja since our ancestral times. We have been following the same culture since then.
Gauri Pooja/ Vaina Pooja is celebrated the day before Shukla Chaturthi which falls in Bhadrapad month as per the Hindu calendar. It's a holy and auspicious occassion for married ladies or 'Savashini' (konkani). This pooja is performed the day before Ganesh Chaturthi. This pooja honors Gauri also known as Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesh.

[During the entire process of pooja, the ladies are advised to follow no garlic - no onion diet. Some do it the previous day for sheer ease or convenience]

My mom, whose is well organized, did the decoration; which is the first thing after early morning head-bath without taking breakfast.
In our Daivajna Brahmin community, the rituals begin the day before where married women get coconuts and decorate them. Coconuts in batches of odd numbers of 3, 5, 7, 11 or 21 are worshiped. Some families who have this as a ritual practice, some families do not have it as a ritual hence do not practice it. The choicest, fresh and large coconuts brimming with water are chosen for the pooja.

The coconuts is a symbolic of "Gauri devi" are de-husked with a sharp sickle/knife to look completely huskless. Thereafter, the coconuts are washed in Turmeric water (Haldi Udda). Once they are washed, the coconuts are ready for decoration. The three holes in the Coconut symbolise Gauri's face. The eyes are decorated with 'Kajal' the Indian black colored kohl, the mouth is decorated with 'Sindhur', an orange colored vermillion which is usually adorned by married women on their forehead. Even Turmeric (Haladi) is used as a substitute. The forehead is adorned with Sandalwood paste made from fresh ground sandal wood, ground on Saani, and kum-kum and turmaric tika is applied. The area where the coconut can be exactly halved is decorated with a while line drawned with a white chalk. Thereafter the Vaina as they are called, are spread on a huge plantain leaf, each of the Vaina perched on a mound of rice. Above each Vaina a small piece of sugarcane along a sliced cucumber is kept. Neivedyam of choice is offered, some offer Godu Phovu, Karanji, Chane Panchakajjaya, etc. the lunch components are also offered as part of the Neivedyam.

 Gauri and Mahadev

A potrait of Gauri and Mahadev is worshipped along side. The Gauri is adorned with mangalsutra, bangles. Before the traditional Arathi (traditional hymns sung in praise of the lord) and Pooja, the lamps are placed in front of each of the coconuts.

The traditional food includes Khotto (idli batter steamed in jackfruit leaves), Patrodo, Patholi, Phodi (bitter guard fry, raw jackfruit fry, spike guard fry), Daalithoi, Chappe Upkari , Chappe kheeru, Saaru, etc. After the Pooja, the food is partaken by all members of the family.
[Note: Chappe - means without salt, as it is believed that gauri forgot to add salt to curry so one dish is prepared without salt, also the paysam without sugar is made from white rice and grated coconut, boiled with little milk along which a turmeric leaf which is added as aroma]

Married women are offered with Vaina and glass bangles

 Neivedyam offered during the Maha pooja to Gauri and Mahadev

Pooja concludes with the Coconuts offered to every married lady attending and participating in the pooja ceremony. Some even distribute the coconuts/ Vaina after the ceremony is over. These Vaina can be given any time to any married lady, preferably within the period of Bhadrapad or before Anant Chaturdashi, the 14th day before the Shukla period concludes.

This ritual is symbolic of the significance of a mother and also celebrates the respect and reverence offered to women in the family. 
Just felt to relinquish the moments gone by and how dedicated my dad was in all rituals he do. His presence will always linger all round of us. Missing you dad :)... In God's grace the coming years will surely shower more blessing from almighty so we take a pledge to carry on the tradition and family celebration.